Card sorting machine



Dec. 9, 194 1. A L 2,265,440

CARD SQRTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1

lNvENToR' //W.//MZW ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1941. M. MAUL 2,265,440

a CARD SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1939 4 Sheets -Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1941. MAUL CARD SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959. 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mll/lll l/l/l llll/l/ll/l/m.

. INVENTOR ATTcSRNEY Dec. 9, 1941.

M. MAUL 2,265,440

CARD SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 'ATTO RNEY Patented Dec. 9, 1941 CARD soa'rmc MACHINE I Michael Maul, Berlin-Johannisthal, Germany,

assignor to the firm schinen Gesellschaft m. b.

telde, Germany Application S 2 Claims. (01.

This invention relates to machines of the type in which operations are effected under control of Deut'sche Holler-1th Marecord cards provided with card columnsand separate record decks or card fields, and particu-,

larly to the type of machine in which the record decks or card fields are individually selected for operation. Machines of this type may be sorting machines, verifying machines, tabulating machines, and machines of similar type.

Machir'ies in which sorting or verifying operations are efiected under control of a selected card column of a single card field are well known. For a general understanding of such machines, it should be understood that provision has been made for individually selecting the card columns which are to control the operations of the machine. Such selection has been effected by elements which are positionable for correlation with a selected column of a single card field. It is, of course, desirable that the operator may be able to recognize the particular card column the machine has been set for control and this has, heretofore, been attained by a simple form of indicating mechanism. No particular difficulty has been experienced in dicating mechanism. in view of the fact that it is only necessary to utilize for indicating purposes the lateral position of the column selector.

In certain types of sorting and verifying machines the control cards have been provided with a plurality of card fields and machine operations are placed under control of a selected record deck,

- or card field. It is, of course, desirable that "the operator know the particular column which is to control the machine, and the provision of an indicating mechanism of thetype heretofore used would simply indicate the card column in use, but

eptcmber 16, 1939, Serial No. Germany October 4, 1938 includes an operative the provision of such an in- 2 not the particular record deck or card field selected for operation. The operator may, I of course. be able to ascertain the card field selected -by noting the position of the manual member which is utilized for the selection of the card field. Inspection of the position will, however,

not indicate the particular column of the card field selected. 7

It is, therefore, the main object of the present invention to provide in a machine controlled by cards having a plurality of card fields an improved form of indicating mechanism which is capable of indicating to the operator not only card fieldwhich has been selected for control. The provision of such indicating mechanism facilitates the operation of the machine in that the operator is able to quickly recognize the the particular card column in use but also the illustrated in trically and such characters may 11., Berlin-Lichtertoe-e110) indicator or pointer which is movable transversely over either set of numerals and in order to indicate the particular record deck or card field selected for operation, the preferred arrangement connection between the manual member which selects the card fields and the indicator plate in order that the latter may be positioned to correlate one of the sets of numerals with the indicator or pointer. It is obvious, of course, that other constructions may beutilized which are within the spirit of the inv vention since the same result may be effected by'moving the indicator plate relative to the pointer. While it is preferable to cause the indicator plate to be moved in accordance with the manual position of the record'deck or card field selector, a reverse arrangement may be provided to secure the same result.

In the present invention; the term record decks" or card fields defines a plurality of superimposed card columns, eachcard field or rec- 0rd deck consisting of adjacent card columns. Furthermore, the invention is not limited in its application to machines controlled by record cards since control elements of other forms and types may be utilized. For example, instead of perforated record cards the control element may consist of record material carrying graphical characters which may be analyzed,photoelecbe provided, as in the case with perforated record cards, with a plurality of card fields or record decks.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be shown and described in connection with a sorting machine capable ofsorting record cards provided with a plurality of recorddecks or card Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and the accompanying drawings, which disclose by way of example, the principle of the it is an object of the present cards passto the analyzing mechanism invention and the best mode,. which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of record card capable of being sorted by the present machine.

Fig. 2 is a representation of a code showing the different combinations of perforations for representing a series of digits and numbers.

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the sorting machine to which the present improvements are preferably applied and which is shown in a reduced scale. 1

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the sorting machine showing the parts necessary for an understanding of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of one nd of the sorting machine showing in detail the shiftable column indicator and the correlated card field indicator.

Fig. 6 is an electrical wiring diagram of the machine.

As will be seen from Fig. 1, the preferred form of record card capable-of being sorted by the present machine comprises two superimposed card fields, each of said card fields comprising twenty card columns for the representation of a corresponding number of characters, such as numbers. The upper card field, or record deck, consists of twenty card columns, numbered 1 to 20, and the lower card field, or record deck, consists of card columns numbered 21 to 40. The arrangement of perforations representing digits and numbers is shown in Fig. 2 and the perforations are arranged in accordance with the wellknown four hole combination. As is well known, the different arrangement of perforations designates the different digits and provision is also made for representing the numbers 10, 11 and 12, since for some types of character designation these numbers are utilized for representing the month, day of the month, etc. The machine is provided, as best shown in Fig. 3, with 13 sorting pockets and an extra sorting pocket which is termed the reject pocket designated by R in Fig. 3 and such pocket is provided for receiving imperiorate cards and also cards of those groups which are not to be sorted out. The cards to be sorted are inserted in the magazine l8 and are fed singly by a picker l8. Referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the main operating mechanism of the sorting machine consists of a motor in which drives the shaft II by means of a belt driving connection between the motor and the shaft II. The shaft ll operates the picker l4 and has worm gear connections (see Fig. 5) to feeding rollers I 2, and the first set of feeding rollers receives the card fed by the picker l4 and feeds the card to a set of analyzing brushes 84. From the analyzing brushes the card is fed by other sets of rollers I 2 to a card sorting mechanism of a well known type. When the they oper.. ate a card lever l8 causing the closure of related card lever contacts".

The card field selector for selecting the particular card field to be employed for card sorting operations consists of a double arm 2| which is securely fastened to a shaft IS. The lower arm of the double arm 2| is forked so as to receive the handle of a switch 22 of a well known form. As will be more clearly pointed out as the specification progresses the switch 22 comprises a means for electrically selectingthe particular card field to be employed for sorting operations. Secured to the shaft I9 is an indicator 23 which is a segmentally formed plate, the upper portion of which carries two series of indicia. The lower series of indicia comprises numerals indicating columns 1-20 of the upper card field of the card shown in Fig. 1, and the upper series of indicia consists of numerals corresponding to the card columns 21 to 40 of the lower card field. In order that the numerals may be formed upon the indicator plate of suiiicient size so as to be easily legible it is preferred to place in each series of numerals alternate numerals with suitable indications indicating the in-between numerals.

Surrounding the indicator plate 23 is a cover plate 24 provided with an aperture through which only one of the series of numerals is visible. The particular series which is visible will, of course, depend upon the particular adjustment of the indicator plate 23. It is obvious that by the connection of the double arm 2| with the indicator plate 28, a selected series of numerals will be brought into view depending upon the position of the arm 2|, and therefore, the selection of the card field to be employed for sorting operations.

Correlated with the indicator plate and visible through the aperture in the cover plate 24 is a pointer 28 which is positioned laterally over the indicator plate so as to indicate the particular column of the selected card field which is to control sorting operations. The lateral positioning of the pointer 28 is eifected by constructing it integral with or'mounting it upon the brush holder .ative correlation with I! which carries the analyzing brushes 84. As is well known in the type of sorting machine herein described, the selection of a card column is effected by the rotation of a crank 28 (Fig. 5) which is fastened to a shaft carrying a worm screw 28 and which is received by .complementarily threaded portions of the brush holder I! which carries the analyzing brushes 24. By the rotation of the crank handle 28 the brush holder ,il will be laterally positioned so as to correlate the analyzing brushes 34 with the selected card column and -since the brush holder l1 moves the pointer 28 it is clear that the lateral position of the brush holder will be reflected in a commensurate positioning oi the pointer 26, thereby indicating to the operator the particular card column which is to control sorting operations. The adjustment of the indicator plate 23 will, of course, bring one of the series of numerals into view and for operthe pointer 28.

The above arrangement of indicating mechanism permits the operator of the machine to be apprised immediately of the particular'card field selected for sorting operations as well as the selected card column of the selected card field.v This is of considerable value and importance since there may have been a previous adjustment of a machine and the operator will, with the present arrangement, be able to clearly and immediately recognize the last adjustment oi the machine without resorting to expedient; previously used. and which are cumbersome and impractical.

The operation of the machine will now be explained in a general way and. particularly, in connection with the wiring diagram 'shown in Fig. 6. Only a general description will be given herein since the type of sorting machine to which the present improvements are -referably incorporated is well known and fully shown and described in the U. 8. Patent No. 2,025,602, as well as in the co-pending application of Michael Maul. Serial No. 273,015. dated May 11, 1939.

" field is correlated with the connections will 2, From Fig. 6, it will be seen that the analyzing brushes are in the path of the travel of the card and encounter, first the perforations in. the v lower card field and then the perforations in the upper card field. The particular column which is'selected for control is, of course, dependent upon the lateral position of the brushes 34 with respect to the card. In order that the analyzing brushes will .be responsive at the time the par-' ticular card field is correlated with the analyzing brushes 34, the following selecting mechanism is preferably utilized. alyzing brushes 34 which-pass through theperforations engage with a contact plate 30 and such contact plate with card lever contacts 33 the card lever l6 when a card is correlated with the analyzing brushes 34. Cam contacts 3| or cam contacts 32 may be selectively interposed in the circuit by means of the proper positioning of the card field selector switch 22. The contacts 3| are so timed that when the lower card analyzing brushes 34 one side of the line will be electrically connected to the contact plate 30. Contacts 32 are differ ently timed so that upon the correlation of the upper card field. with the analyzing brushes 34' a connection will be made to the contact plate 30 from the line side when, of course, the card field selector switch 22 is properly positioned.

301s in electrical connection which are closed by It will be seen that the an- From what has been previously described, it is apparent that the position of thedouble arm 22 will adjust the indicator plate 23 so as to bring into view numerals corresponding to the card columns of the selected card field. The position of the pointer 26 will, of course, indicate to the operator the selected card column of the selected card field;

, so as to transmit an The double switch arm 22 and cam contacts 3|, 32 are, in the present arrangement, the deck selecting means, and replace theswitch I00 and the split commutator 21 of the 1 Patent No.

Upon the passage of the analyzing brushes through the perforations encountered, electrical be effected to translator magnets 50-1, 5ll--IV. The particular magnets 50 which are energized will, of course, be dependent upon the perforations analyzed and such magnets will be energized in combinations in accordance with the combinations'of perforations analyzed.

Preferably associated with the magnets 50 are two sets of storing devices which permit overlapping of the analyzing operations and the card sorting operations. This is attained in a manner more fully described in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,025,602 in the Maul application, Serial No. 273,015, and for this reason is generally explained herein. In general, the two sets of storing devices are so coordinated that when one set of storing devices is adjusted under control of the analyzing devices, the second set of storing devices is effective for controlling a sorting operation of a previously analyzed card. At the beginning of chine the previously adjusted storing device of the'first set will be clearedgso as to receive its next adjustment under control of the next card which is analyzed. After the first set of storing devices has received its adjustment a transfer' is effected therefrom to the second set of one cycle of operation of the ma-' storing devices and when the latter has controlled I .by electro -magnets 61,\ and, whereas, in the r ing devices meantime, the

In the present embodiment the first set of storing devices comprises pawls 4| which are adjusted upon the energization of the related magnet 50, such pawls 4| being rocked in a counterclockwise. direction upon the attraction of the armature of the related magnet 50. The transfer of a setting of the first set of storing devices to the second set of storing devices is accomplished by means of a bar 43 under controlof a cam 49, thereby causing those pawls 4| which have been released to be urged downwardly so that the corresponding lever 4 will be rocked counterclockwise to be latched by pawl 45. In the present arrangement the transfer is effected by a mechanical cam 41 whereas in Patent No. 2,025,602 this function is performed patreleases the latching pawls 11 of the patent, the corresponding pawls herein are unlatched by the same cam 41. The levers 44 have. connections to contact operating bars to cause the closure of contacts 35 in different combinations and in combinations dependent upon the particular magnets latching of pawls 45 to cause the operated levers 44 is veflected restoring a bar 48 which is operated by a cam ent, magnet 82 the restoration of by the mean of 41,

at the time the second set of storing devices is to be cleared out.

Coordinated with digit representing lines leading from the contacts 35 is an emitter 36 and such emitter is timed electrical current to a relay 39 and also to a sorting control magnet 31, as best shown in Fig. 4. The energization of the sorting magnet 31 will effect a separation between a pair of the blades l8 thereby causing the feeding of the card to a selected card pocket. The sorting mechanism is well known and for this reason only a brief reference is given thereto.

The energization of the sorting magnet 31 is retained by contacts 40 so that as soon as the contact arm of the emitter'3'6 has passed by the last segment the restoration of the second set of storwill then take place. Since, in the first set of storing devices has been cleared out and then set up under control of the next card a transfer operation will then be effected between the first set of storing devices to the second set of storing devices and the above 'described sorting operation will be repeated for the next card..

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the inventionas applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sorting machine controlled by cards having superposed card decks, each deck consisting of numerically arranged columns, the combination of a sorting mechanism, an analyzing device controlling said sorting mechanism, a column selector, means operated by said selector for positioning said analyzing device for coordinating said analyzing device with a selected column of a selected card deck, a manually positioned deck selector, means controlled by said deck selector for can g a selected deck to be coordinated with said analyzing device to control which is rocked energized. The unwith thefeeding of the card sorting operations from a selected deck, an indicator plate having a plurality oi setsot numerals,

one set for each deck, and each set corresponding in numbering to the column numbering of the related deck, a cover plate for said indicator plate provided with an aperture through which one set of numerals is readable, a column indicator associated with said sets of numerals and visible through said aperture, and means operated by' the column selector for. efiecting a movement of said indicator for designating a numeral, corresponding to the selected column, of the set of numerals selected by said deck selector, whereby the number of the selected column of the se- Iected deck is visibly indicated to the operator at one place;

2. In a record controlled sorting machine controlled by records having a plurality of record decks, each deck consisting of a plurality of columns, the combination of an analyzing device, a sorting mechanism controlled by said analyzing device, a pair of spaced frames, means carried by said frames for eifecting the lateral moveord columns of the card decks, a cover plate for said plate having an aperture through which a selected set of numerals may be brought into view by the setting of the indicator plate, a shaft carried by said side frames secured to said indicator plate, connecting setting means between said deck selector and the shaft for setting the indicator plate to select a set of numerals for view through said cover plate, a column indicator arranged beneath the cover plate and visible through the aperture and associated with said sets of numerals, and 'means for connecting said column selector with said indicator to cause the latter to be moved to pass over the selected set of numerals brought into view to designate the numbering of the selected column of the selected deck utilized for sorting control purposes by said analyzing device.

MICHAEL MAUL. 

